Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Raffael Fasel

@raffaelfasel.bsky.social

140 followers 110 following 83 posts

Assistant Prof in Public Law, University of Cambridge. Fellow of Jesus College. Co-Director of the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law. Co-Carer of twins, a blind dog, and a one-toothed cat.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Apr 27

Thrilled to have received the first copies of my new book (co-authored with the wonderful John Adenitire). Very grateful to the team at #OxfordUniversityPress and the editors of the Oxford Constitutional Theory series for their support.

1 16 30

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · 11d

Why write your own bills if you can outsource it to the opposition?
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Starmer asks Conservative peer to write planning bill to block judicial reviews

Exclusive: One option could be to leave treaty that allows legal claims against projects such as Heathrow expansion

www.theguardian.com

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · 13d

If you are in or around Cambridge on 15th October make sure not to miss our Centre‘s 2025 Annual Animal Rights Law Lecture held @cambridgelaw.bsky.social and delivered by the marvellous Cass Sunstein @casssunstein.bsky.social of @hls.harvard.edu.

Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law @animalrightslaw.bsky.social · 13d

Tickets are available for our 2025 Annual Animal Rights Law Lecture! 🎟️

Join us for this free event on 15 October at Cambridge University's Faculty of Law. (1/3)

3 2

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · 22d

I am deeply saddened by the passing of Conor Gearty. I first met Conor as a Law Fellow @lselaw.bsky.social where he went out of his way to make everyone feel welcome. His generosity of spirit and intellectual openness (he was a supporter of animal rights) have been a true source of inspiration.

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · 27d

… Elena Conde @ucm.es, Amnon Keren (Tel Aviv University), and Etain Quigley @maynoothuniversity.ie.

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · 27d

Thanks to @evabernetkempers.bsky.social for organising and to our brilliant participants: Sarah Berger Richardson @uottawa.ca, Francine Feld @westernsydneyu.bsky.social, Greg Marcar @universityofotago.bsky.social, Melanie Flynn (Liverpool Hope University), Daphnée Menard @uottawa.ca …

1 1

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · 27d

Enjoying another great @animalrightslaw.bsky.social Law Lecturers‘ Workshop - where we teach how to teach animal rights law - this time in Cambridge itself @jesuscollegecam.bsky.social

1 2 1

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Sep 6

What an excellent last day of the European Animal Rights Law Conference organised by @animalrightslaw.bsky.social, topped off with a PhD student workshop.

1 4

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Sep 5

A second day full of inspiring presentations on the world‘s first pieces of animal rights legislation at our Cambridge Conference @animalrightslaw.bsky.social
@magdalenecollege.bsky.social

2 6

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Sep 4

The fifth European Animal Rights Law Conference organised by the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law @animalrightslaw.bsky.social is off to a great start!

1 5

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Sep 1

All good things come in … twos! PsychologyToday @psychologytoday.com did another interview with me, this time on the need for constitutional reform for animals. Many thanks to Marc Bekoff! www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/anim...

Why Animal Sentience Must Be Used to Reform Constitutions

A new book uses the latest research on animal emotions to challenge and expand the human-centeredness of current constitutional theory and practices to include nonhuman animals.

www.psychologytoday.com

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Aug 29

Last chance to get your tickets!

Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law @animalrightslaw.bsky.social · Aug 26

🚨 Sales of our 2025 European Animal Rights Law Conference tickets close on 2nd September at 11.00pm! 🚨

This year's Conference is on the theme "Animal Rights in Legislation" and will feature political representatives, government officials, prominent academics, and lawyers. (1/2)

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Aug 26

The problem with uncritical reporting such as this is that it focuses on AI sentience, which is far from real, while ignoring the ecological and human cost of AI, which is very real. And I say this as someone who favours granting rights to sentient non-humans.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Can AIs suffer? Big tech and users grapple with one of most unsettling questions of our times

As first AI-led rights advocacy group is founded, industry is divided on whether models are, or can be, sentient

www.theguardian.com

1 3 10

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Aug 25

I have just discovered that my book 'More Equal Than Others: Humans and the Rights of Other Animals' was reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement @thetls.bsky.social in March by Simone Gubler - a lovely surprise, all the more so because she seems to have liked it.

www.the-tls.com/science-tech...

What legal rights has a chimpanzee?

Hercules was leased to the State University of New York at the age of one. He lived in a cage in a basement and contributed to studies of ambulation. It

www.the-tls.com

1 4

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Aug 22

I am delighted that my book 'More Equal Than Others: Humans and the Rights of Other Animals' is featured in Psychology Today @psychologytoday.com and has been made an essential read in their Philosophy section. Many thanks to Marc Bekoff for interviewing me! www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anim...

Granting Rights to Animals Doesn't Undermine Human Rights

In proposing the Species Membership Approach, Raffael Fasel argues against the misplaced fears that granting legal rights and personhood to nonhumans would weaken human rights.

www.psychologytoday.com

3 5

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Aug 14

This promises to be another memorable Conference dinner, this time in Magdalene College‘s beautiful candlelit dining hall.

Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law @animalrightslaw.bsky.social · Aug 14

Less than one week left to purchase formal dinner tickets for our 2025 European Animal Rights Law Conference!

Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy a formal, vegan dinner with our speakers, invited guests, and Centre team at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge.

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Aug 4

I am a great fan of German choral music.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Choir that drowned out Germany’s AfD leader happy to ‘bend the ear’ of country

Group ‘surprised’ when their song was used to disrupt an interview with Alice Weidel – but now they face a backlash

www.theguardian.com

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 27

It is excellent that @casssunstein.bsky.social is returning to this important topic. Can‘t wait to read the book!

casssunstein.bsky.social @casssunstein.bsky.social · Jul 27

Little announcement: I am starting a new book on animal rights and animal welfare, tentatively called ANIMALS MATTER. Formal announcement to come. A daunting thing is the sheer volume of terrific material on this, led of course by @petersinger.info and more recently by @christinewebb.bsky.social

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 20

There are still tickets available!

Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law @animalrightslaw.bsky.social · Jul 20

Our 2025 European Animal Rights Law Conference will feature more thought-provoking presentations and discussions lead by global animal rights law experts 🌍

Find out more at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/european-animal-rights-law-conference-2025-tickets-1373099289939?aff=oddtdtcreator (2/2)

European Animal Rights Law Conference 2025

The fifth European Animal Rights Law Conference at Magdalene College, Cambridge (4-6 September) on "Animal Rights in Legislation"

www.eventbrite.co.uk

2 2

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 18

For purely financial reasons, we will never subscribe to #Paramount or #Skydance. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/b...

CBS Canceling ‘Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ After Next Season

www.nytimes.com

1 5

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 17

The need to renationalise water companies in England should be clear to anyone who has ever tried to go for a swim in a river or the sea, or who has had to pay an overpriced water bill, but @georgemonbiot.bsky.social makes the case particularly well: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

High water bills, filthy rivers – and now drought. This is England's great artificial water crisis of 2025 | George Monbiot

In its refusal to nationalise water, it’s clear the government operates in the interests of private capital and not of the country, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

www.theguardian.com

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 16

Most likely in early 2027!

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 16

It‘s great to have you on board!

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 16

... @camilavergara.bsky.social (@universityofessex.bsky.social); Ayesha Wijayalath (Sydney).

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 16

... Alexander Somek (@univie.ac.at); Samuel Tschorne (Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez); Moiz Tundawala (@bonavero.bsky.social); Maria Tzanakopoulou (Birkbeck); @marianavr.bsky.social (@maynoothuniversity.ie); Sergio Verdugo (@ieuniversity.bsky.social) ...

1 5

Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · Jul 16

... @ruthhoughton.bsky.social (@newcastleuni.bsky.social); Paul Linden-Retek (Buffalo); Victoria Miyandazi (Nottingham); @nataliamoralesc.bsky.social (@ucl.ac.uk); Aoife O'Donoghue (Belfast); Carlos Pérez Crespo (University of Chile); Yaniv Roznai (Reichman); Andreas Samartzis ...

1 4